Monthly Archives: June 2016

Many have been talking about the disgusting letter (including me) that Brock Turner’s father wrote.

Leslie Rasmussen letter (childhood friend of Standford Rapist, Brock Turner) is just as disturbing and even more so in some cases. I know its hard for you Time magazine to call him that, but for me it came with ease. This 20 year old wrote a letter defending the actions of her childhood friend and shamed the victim for being drunk She has now apologized, but before we go into that I want you to read at her initial letter first.

If you haven’t read the Letter by now* I will share it with you.

Grab a drink, take a deep breath, and get ready to be repulsed by the asinine letter.

If it is too hard for you to read because it is small, I typed up the full text, even though parts of it will make me want to vomit from the reprehensible statements she made.

Honorable Judge Aaron Persky,

It was with great sadness that I read the news about about Brock Turner, and the horrible situation he was involved in. It came as a huge shock to me.

Brock has been a peer of mine since elementary school, and was a very close friend of mine for a few years in high school. He dated one of my very good friends Lydia Pocisk, around the same time. In those years, he was very respectful with everyone. Teachers, classmates, friends, and girls all alike. He is one of those people that no one has a problem with, and is pretty much good at everything. We all knew he’d swim in the olympics one day. His family is a very respectable family in town. I also know his older sister, Caroline. They all seem like such good kids brought up by two very cool and very grounded parents. In all honesty if I had to choose one kid I graduated with to be in the position Brock is, it would never had been him. I could name off 5 others I wouldn’t be surprised about. Brock is such a sweetheart and a very smart kid. I never once caught him harassing anyone, verbally or physically. That would have been so out of his character.

It’s pretty frustrating to see the light people are putting him in now. It used to be “swim star” and now it’s like he is the face of rape on campuses. It’s such a false way to put it. I cannot believe it. I’ve thought a lot about it and from different angles. I tried to accept that maybe he intended to harm this girl, but I just couldn’t imagine it was the case. I know rape is a very sensitive subject, for everyone, especially women. I am not backing it up or making excuses, but there is no way Brock went out that night with rape on his mind. I think he went to party and was drinking, like almost every student an a university does, and was flirting with this girl, like he said. The woman recalls how much she drank, which was a lot. She was no doubt about to black out, if not already. I’m sure she and Brock were flirting at the party and decided to leave together. Just as they she passes out, which after that many drinks, many would. At the same time Brock, having a few too many drinks himself, is not in complete control of his emotions. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that alcohol increases emotions and feelings. I think this is all a huge misunderstanding. I think that the bikers would found him did the right thing by keeping him there in case he was attempting rape, but that after investigation it should have Brock found innocent.

Brock is not a monster. He is the furthest thing from anything like that, and I have known him much longer than the people involved in this case. I don’t think its fair to base ten+ years of his life on the decision of a girl who doesn’t remember anything but the amount she drank to press charges against him. I am not blaming her directly for this, because that isn’t right. But where do we draw the line and stop worrying about being politically correct every second of the day and see that rape on campuses isn’t always about rape isn’t always because people are rapists. It is because universities market themselves as the biggest party schools in the country. They encourage drinking. I think it is disgusting and I am so sick of hearing that these young men are monsters when really, you are throwing barely 20-somethings into camp like university environments, supporting partying, and then your mind is blown when things get out of hand. This is completely different from a woman being kidnapped and raped as she is walking to her car in a parking lot. That is a rapist. These are not rapists. These are idiot boys and girls having too much to drink and not being aware of their surroundings and having clouded judgement. I’m not saying that is every case because I know young men that take advantage of women and vice versa, but I know for a fact that Brock is not one of those people. He is respectful and caring, talented and smart enough to know better.

Attached is a photo of Brock I took in high school. He has always had that huge loving smile on his face. The caption is even “d’awwwww” because he was always the sweetest to everyone.

I appreciate you taking your time to hear about my past with Brock and my opinion on the matter, and I hope you consider what I’ve said when looking into the sentencing. I would not be writing this letter if I had any doubt in my mind that he is innocent.

Thank you again,

Leslie Rasmussen.

Well, if you were able to get through all of that good job, I know it wasn’t easy. For those that couldn’t, I understand, you can only read so much stupid and nauseating statements before you want to punch something.

Now, her pathetic apology. There is another that is longer. That I will include in Part 2. This post is becoming far too long already.

Okay Leslie Rasmussen, since your “20 year old” self is so stupid to make numerous asinine statements in the first letter. I will teach you with what is wrong with you letter. After I will critique your pathetic apology as well.

I doubt you will ever read this, but I will at least feel better myself by the end of this.

20 Things To Understand For Leslie Rassmussen, the Ignorant 20 Year Old who Has “Much to learn”:

“His family is a very respectable family in town.” What does him having a respectable family mean? What does respectable mean? Rich? From the “right side of the tracks?” Obviously they aren’t respectable if the father cals rape just “20 minutes of action.”

“I never once caught him harassing anyone, verbally or physically.” Doesn’t mean he didn’t do it or thought about it. I was abused in private while in a year long relationship with someone.

Rapists rarely consider themselves rapists. Do you think Hitler thought of himself as evil? No, Hitler thought he was doing something good for Germany at the time. Extreme example, but I hope it makes my point.

Those who rape usually feel entitled and don’t like being told no. Men who rape don’t think of it as rape, they think “She wanted it,” “she’s asking for it,” “she is just playing hard to get,” “women are supposed to want me(n),” etc. The same could be said of women who rape, just switch the gender pronouns.

Drinking usually gets rid of peoples inhibitions, not change their morals or mindset completely. Think of it like hypnotism….so in this case being drunk didn’t magically change his personality, it just revealed that he was willing to rape a girl while she was unconscious.

Just because a woman (or man) is drunk, doesn’t mean that is an automatic invitation for sex. Sex should be done with consent. I even included the definition in case that word was too difficult for your 20 year old mind.

If Brock was the good caring individual you believe, he wouldn’t have lost “complete control of his emotions” and raped the girl. That’s like a guy saying, “OMG, my penis just fell out my zippered pants and straight into her vagina! It’s not like I had any control over the zipper, and the underwear I’m wearing whatsoever!”

Your logic is so fallible Leslie. Oh I’m sorry, is that too big of a word for your 20 year old mind?

If he was a good caring individual he would have gone for help to try to take her home or even to the hospital to make sure she was okay and not experience alcohol poisoning. Not raping her.

You know, when I’m on my period I tend to be very hormonal and I don’t feel “in complete control of my emotions.” I’m sure many women feel the same way. Do you think any women committing an act of violence while on their period a valid excuse? (It shouldn’t be a valid excuse, ever. I want to share this quote quickly because I get back on point

). Hell, I’m pretty sure I deal with a hormone imbalance (that I’m getting checked out) and even though I feel like telling all of humanity to “F$#@ OFF!” some days, you don’t see me committing acts of violence. No, I just write in my journal about how I think humanity can be really, really stupid. What can we conclude? The excuse that not being in complete control because of drinking is a stupid ass statement.

The only time you speak of the victim, is when you blame her. Would you blame a child being abused for the abuse? Do you blame all those that died on 9/11 of being killed? If the answer is no, than you shouldn’t blame the victim in this case either.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientistto realize you could never become a rocket scientist yourself because you think rape is excusable by alcohol even though all other crimes done under the influence aren’t.

It’s not a “misunderstanding” because there were two eyewitnesses in this case and one of them even stated that Brock didn’t look drunk. Thank God there were, because people like you would have really helped a rapist escape justice (granted its pathetic in this case, but its better than the guy being free at all). The only people who misunderstood in this case is every individual that defended Brock Turner’s character and either ignored or blamed the victim for what happened.

“I think that the bikers would found him did the right thing by keeping him there in case he was attempting rape, but that after investigation it should have Brock found innocent. ” This statement alone is stupid. It was actually the reason I had to take a break from writing this blog post because I became so infuriated. If Brock was innocent and not raping the girl, why would the bikers have to try to keep him there? Why did Brock run away from the scene where a girls clothes were partially if not completely off her while she was passed out? If one is innocent, you would think one wouldn’t run away from the scene of a crime.

“Brock is not a monster.” You are right on that account. Calling him a monster would try to show that he is not human, trying to distance ourselves from the bad in this world. He is a human being and human beings can do good and evil deeds. Brock Turner committed an evil deed by raping a girl.

You know what isn’t “fair?” That a woman was raped while she was passed out from drinking! How that woman may have to undergo years if not decades of counseling and medication all the while experiencing anxiety, paranoia, fear, PTSD, etc! That isn’t fair!

“I’m not blaming her directly for this, because that isn’t right.”

You still are blaming her!! Whether it is direct or indirect!

“Worry about being politically correct every second of the day.” I can’t deal with this statement. I can’t, I’m sorry. I’m an Independent: conservative on some issues and liberal on others. I’m against censorship even if its offensive, I’m not what some would consider PC….Do you realize how all over the place your letter is? Are you talking about women who lie about rape (which btw is reprehensible)? Women are more likely not to report a rape because people would often think they are lying or making it up. I won’t deny that there are those who lie about rape, but if you are stating this as though you believe rape is an issue blown out of proportion, you obviously have never spoken with a victim of rape and or sexual assault. You have not only insulted me, someone who has been through sexual abuse, you are insulting every single women who has.

“see that rape on campuses isn’t always about rape isn’t always because people are rapists.It is because universities market themselves as the biggest party schools in the country. They encourage drinking. I think it is disgusting and I am so sick of hearing that these young men are monsters when really, you are throwing barely 20-somethings into camp like university environments, supporting partying, and then your mind is blown when things get out of hand. ” Yes, because staff at the universities are holding guns at peoples held telling them to drink till they are so drunk and also tell them to rape girls while they are at it. I mean its not like they are legally adults now and they have to follow the law. It’s not if they should know by now right and wrong.
Having a party or having a drink does not equal rape (see #3 for a recap on this). Raping someone is rape.

“you are throwing barely 20-somethings into camp like university environments,” If you think 20 year olds are too stupid to handle peer pressure and not take responsibility, than you shouldn’t have written a letter that was going to be used in a court case.

“This is completely different from a woman being kidnapped and raped as she is walking to her car in a parking lot. That is a rapist. These are not rapists.”

“I’m not saying that is every case because I know young men that take advantage of women and vice versa, but I know for a fact that Brock is not one of those people. ” Well Joran Van Der Sloot’s parents thought he was being unfairly singled out and said they knew their son so well too. He killed two women.

Well, I can’t write anymore on this for now. I need to step back, drink some tea. I will be back later to critique her pathetic apology attempts.

*My post is later than I hoped because reading this letter angered me more than reading the father’s letter to the point I had to walk away and calm down. I actually started typing this as soon as the news broke about it.

Like this:

From: Someone who was in an abusive relationship for a year, who dealt with sexual abuse, and who has been sexually harassed and assaulted in the past

To: Mr. Turner

Calling the rape your son committed “20 minutes of action” is so disgusting, there are no words I can think of at this moment that can describe how ill it makes me. I actually want to physically throw up.

I would say misogyny, but that doesn’t even cover it how revolting you and your son are as human beings. Nor can I describe how revolting at how low the prison sentence is for your son. I hope somehow your son is locked away in prison for a very long time.

And your son, the pathetic excuse of a human being that you raised has the audacity to blame it on party culture, drinking,etc. I have gone to parties and not committed crimes. I have gotten my ass drunk and the most I have done is dance like a moron and tell everyone I loved them and we should hang out more. People get their ass in trouble when they commit crimes, whether or not they are drunk in the process. So there’s no excuse. Being drunk is not a get out of jail card.

There have been people wondering how the father would have responded if it had been his daughter. There are people that are outraged by his words and rightly so, he is painting his son as the victim, when in reality the one who was raped is the victim.

To be honest, if he is saying this about his son, he comes off as the kind of individual who would think promiscuity equals an individual “wanting it” or “is asking for it.” No doubt he would drill that idea into the mind of his daughter from an early age. I could be wrong of course on that, but with reading this letter, I’m not holding out much hope for this mans character. If it happened to his daughter even though she wasn’t “asking for it” in his mentality, he would go to trial. But if she was wearing clothes or behaving in a way that he would consider “asking for it”….one wonders what his actions would be than.

Another thing I thought of, the fact he calls it “20 minutes of action” instead of rape, you have to wonder….has the father committed the same sins in the past that his son has now been convicted of. I wouldn’t be surprised if the father had committed those same “20 minutes of action” when he was his sons age.

Yes, I am going there.

People aren’t born racists, sexist, misogynist,etc. Where do you think he could have learned the behavior, the mentality that he is entitled to “action.” Now I know there are those cases that it isn’t learned from home, but from other places. But and a Big BUT , between this letter, him calling rape “20 minutes of action,” and his sons behavior; one wonders if whether or not he nurtured the mentality in the household.

Mr. Turner, your son isn’t the victim here. Your son is the criminal and I have no sympathy for him whatsoever. He raped a women, and to be honest he got off lightly. So what if this bothers him for 6 months. That young women will be spending years in therapy, will be dealing with nightmares, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and possibly go on medication because of your sons actions.